Exercises not Excuses -- 10 Secrets for busy moms to find time to exercise

We’re moms, which means we all crave some “me time.” Well, you know what? Exercise is one of the best gifts you can give yourself especially when you’re always putting everybody else first.

Before I had kids I used to teach spinning, run and take strength-training classes several times a week. Now, with two little ones to take care of, a business and an endless list of to-do’s, finding the time to work out is more challenging than ever before.

If you’re like me, you tend to take on too much. Exercise is a great way to give you energy, relieve some stress and improve your mood to make the workload seem a little lighter. In fact, exercise may even help you to sleep better…and even lose weight! Whether you enjoy running marathons, biking, or yoga, any type of exercise can spell the difference between a frazzled mom and a calm, happy mom.

On top of that, moderate exercise can boost your immunity, which is super important especially now with cold weather season right around the corner. To give your immune system some extra support, find products that contain EpiCor brand dried fermentate.

I know it’s sometimes hard to get yourself motivated to exercise, but you always feel amazing and inspired to make healthier decisions afterwards – at least I know I do! Here are some things that have worked for me to get rid of all the excuses for more exercise:

1. Start your day early. I crave more sleep just like the next mom, but I usually set my alarm an hour before my kids wake up so I’ll have time to go to the gym. One of my friends takes it a step further by popping in a fitness DVD and working out with her husband. They motivate each other and sneak in some extra couple time, too.

2. Schedule it. If you don’t carve out time in your day to exercise, it’s so easy to let other things take priority. So put it in your calendar just like you would for your child’s soccer practice and stay committed.

3. Nix the all-or-nothing approach. You don’t have to spend an hour in the gym to get a great workout; and if you want to lose weight, short, intense workouts are better anyway. What’s more, a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds that running just 5 or 10 minutes a day can reduce the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease. If you don’t have time to work out, find opportunities to move more like parking your car farther from your destination or doing a few yoga moves while your child naps.

4. Make fitness a family affair. When my daughter is in pre-school, I put my youngest in the jogging stroller and go for a run or brisk walk. If you like to bike, use a baby seat or bike trailer. Or do lunges, squats or planks while your kids play at the park.

5. Be a joiner. I always thought those baby stroller fitness programs were just a glorified mom’s meet up until I tried it. Let me tell you—huffing it with two kids in the double stroller and tackling sprints, jumps, and some kick-butt strength moves is a serious workout. Look for other mommy and me classes like pilates, yoga, and dance. Find out what works best for you.

6. Get a buddy. Make a commitment with a friend or a few like-minded moms who want to get in shape and meet at the gym, take a yoga class, or go for a run.

7. Dance party! Just last week my girls and I were stuck at home on a rainy Saturday afternoon with nothing to do. I decided to put on some old-school Madonna and start dancing. My kids giggled as I danced, twirled them around and got them moving. I avoided an inevitable meltdown, got my heart pumping and burned off some extra calories too—score!

8. Get help. My husband and I negotiate a schedule in the mornings so we both have time to work out. One of us makes breakfast or gets the kids ready while the other works out and then we switch. You can also ask grandma to help out, hire a babysitter or mother’s helper, use your gym’s childcare service, or swap childcare with another mom.

9. Sneak it in. If you can only spare 10 minutes during your lunch break, bring your sneakers and take a walk, or run up the stairs a few times. If you travel for business, do laps around the airport while you wait to board. Most hotels have gyms and some even offer fitness packages that include videos, equipment and workout gear. Or fire up an app and get moving.

10. Sign-up. Setting a fitness goal is a great way to stick with it so sign up for a race or fitness event and follow the training schedule to make it manageable.
What are some ways you find time to work out?